Making blanks out of recently cut down tree

[Gary Zakian]

I have a pleasant problem I would appreciate guidance on.

I was driving down the street today and came across county tree trimmers cutting down a maple tree that was partly diseased and dangerous. I asked if I could take some of the wood they were cutting and they said yes. I got a few small crotches and five "logs" about 12" to 15" diameter and 15" - 20" long. The sap is just starting to run in Indiana, so the tree is fairly moist, but not too bad.

My question is whether (1) the wood I will use for pen making should be dried as it is right now, i.e., as I received it from the tree cutters, and then cut to size when I am ready to make the pens, or (2) I should cut it into boards or rough size strips now and dry it after it is cut.

Any guidance is appreciated.

Gary Zakian

 

[glycerine]

I'd think it would dry faster if you cut it up first. Also, there's at least one person on the IAP that I know of who has cut wood into pen blanks first and then used a food dehydrator to dry them out. Sounds like a great idea though I have never needed to try it...

 

[JimB]

If you wait for it to dry the way it is you will be waiting a very long time.

 

[JerrySambrook]

Why not try a few other things with the wood, such as bowls, weedpots, etc. Maple is easy to get, and this free wood can give you other opportunities instead

 

[seawolf]

I second the idea of a few bowl blanks as well as pen and bottle stopper blanks. turn the bowls green then dry. There are a lot of sites with tips on bowls. For the smaller blanks cut them a bit over size dip the ends in anchor seal then cross stack them above floor level and weight them with a cement cap block the wieght helps prevent warp.
Mark

 

[greggas]

If cutting for pens I would cut into pieces around 1 1/8" - 1 1/4" thick and then let them dry. Maple dries pretty quick, especially if starting to rot. I put them by my furnace in the basement and they usually dry within a month. You can also Micro wave, boil, dehumidify, etc depending on how much of a rush you are in. After they are dry ( and assuming they warp a bit) you can rip them down to 7/8" ( or whatever size you want). If you want to get really crazy put some of the pieces in a sealed plastic rubbish bag in the dark with a some beer ( yeast) and let them sit for 6 months and see if you can coax out any spalting lines and colors...sometimes you get nothing, sometimes the results are amazing.

 

[Gary Zakian]

Thanks all for your thoughts and input. It is appreciated.

gary zakian

 

[JohnU]

I cut mine at 1" square at what ever length you want and then put them in cake pans and pour denatured alcohol over them so they are completely under alcohol. I let them sit for at least one day and then pour the alcohol back in the can for later use, and wrap the blanks individually in newspaper, folding the ends over with some tape. I put them all in a box and set it in a warm place for about 30 to 40 days. Take one out first to test with a moisture meter or drill and see if they are dry. You can also let it set and see if its cracks or checks. Ive never had a problem with this method. You'll get a couple that crack, usually if they are from the center heart of the log.

 

[Sylvanite]

The rule of thumb for air-drying logs is 1 year for each inch in diameter, so if you want to use the lumber soon, you may want to cut it up green. At that point:

1. It will dry faster, and
2. there are means (microwave, boiling, alcohol, etc.) to speed it up.

Regards,
Eric

 

[KD5NRH]

You can also Micro wave, boil, dehumidify, etc depending on how much of a rush you are in.

For microwaving, I generally turn them round well over final size, drill well under final size, and cut to 1/4" over final length. That gets rid of as much excess wood and exposes as much surface as possible while still leaving plenty to account for some warping.

Nuke in 10-15 second increments and weigh with a reloading scale until they go through three cycles with no more than 0.2 grain change in weight. Let them cool to room temperature before you drill again and try to glue the tubes in, or you may find the glue becoming an instant-cure before the tube is fully inserted.